2.b) Explain the terms with example: 1) Population 2) Sample
Answer:
Population and Samples
- Population is any set of objects or units (tweets, photographs, stars). If the characteristics of all the objects can be measured or extracted, then it is a complete set of observations (N).
- A single observation can include a list of characteristics of the object. A subset of the units of size (n) considered to make observations and draw conclusions and make inferences about the population is called a sample. Taking a subset may introduce biases into the data and distort it.
- Example: Suppose you are conducting research on smartphone usage habits among teenagers in a specific city. Your population comprises all teenagers aged 13-18 living in that city, which could number in the tens of thousands. Due to logistical constraints and the difficulty of reaching every teenager in the city, you opt to use a sample of 500 teenagers randomly selected from different schools within the city. This sample will participate in interviews or surveys to provide insights into their smartphone usage patterns, preferences, and behaviors.
- Population refers to the total set of observation. say, you are looking for the average height of men. Here population is the set of all men in the world.